Needling Politicians Back, the Power of the Pen

Are you frustrated with the American government? If so, then you are not alone. According to Gallup's annual governance survey, you have more company than usual. "A record-high 81 percent of Americans are dissatisfied with the way the country is being governed," said the poll, which was released Monday.

This dissatisfaction is apparent in both parties, but more pronounced for Republicans, with Gallup noting "majorities of Democrats (65 percent) and Republicans (92 percent) are dissatisfied with the nation's governance." The difference between the two parties' level of discontent might be explained by the fact that Democrats hold both the White House and the Senate, while Republicans control only the House of Representatives.

It's not just that we are disgruntled with our government -- we also have very little confidence in our government's ability to get its work done. According to Gallup, "57 percent have little or no confidence in the federal government to solve domestic problems."

The poll sampled 1,017 adults, age 18 and older, living in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, and has a 95 percent confidence level plus or minus 4 percent.

Little confidence and much dissatisfaction do not create the political environment that will lead to job creation. Just this week, a CEO one of America's most-loved companies expressed his frustration with the United States government.

"In the West, we're forgetting what really worked 20 years ago," Muhtar Kent, the chief executive officer of Coca-Cola, told the Financial Times in an article published Monday. "In China and other markets around the world, you see the kind of attention to detail about how business works and how business creates employment."

American politicians of both major parties need to be aware that they are facing off before a domestic audience confronting challenges that extend beyond our borders. In the global economy, the U.S. business environment has to compete with the business environments in other countries in order to attract international corporations. According to Kent, the United States is at a disadvantage due to its tax code.

"If you talk about an American company doing business in the world today with its Chinese, Russian, European or Japanese counterparts, of course we're disadvantaged. A Chinese or Swiss company can do whatever its wants with those funds (earned overseas)," noted Kent. "When we want to bring them back, we are faced with a very large tax burden."

Jackie Gingrich Cushman is a speaker, syndicated columnist, socialpreneur, and author of "The Essential American: 25 Documents and Speeches Every American Should Own," and co-author of “The 5 Principles for a Successful Life: From Our Family to Yours”.